Best Lugia Cards to Grade
The Lugia cards worth grading, ranked by expected profit per submission — every grade outcome weighted by how often the card actually receives it — after current grading fees. The PSA 10 best case is shown on every row but does not decide the order. Top pick: Lugia (Aquapolis) at an expected +$8,074.
Ranked by expected profit 28
| # | Card | Raw | PSA 9 | PSA 10 | Cost | Best case | Gem rate | Expected | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Expected +$8,074 per submission: 4.3% of 3,204 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($132,000), and a PSA 9 ($27,000) still clears the $13,640 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $7,301 | $27,000 | $132,000 | $6,339 | +$118,360 | 4.3% | +$8,074 | 3,204 high |
| 2 | Expected +$7,569 per submission: 3.8% of 1,864 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($156,000), and a PSA 9 ($11,400) still clears the $8,179 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $1,600 | $11,400 | $156,000 | $6,579 | +$147,821 | 3.8% | +$7,569 | 1,864 high |
| 3 | Expected +$5,331 per submission: 3.5% of 508 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($144,000), and a PSA 9 ($2,749) still clears the $6,601 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $142 | $2,749 | $144,000 | $6,459 | +$137,399 | 3.5% | +$5,331 | 508 high |
| 4 | Expected +$3,021 per submission: 5.9% of 389 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($52,355), and a PSA 9 ($719) still clears the $3,604 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $61 | $719 | $52,355 | $3,543 | +$48,751 | 5.9% | +$3,021 | 389 high |
| 5 | Expected +$1,736 per submission: 2.5% of 1,049 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($35,655), and a PSA 9 ($6,000) still clears the $2,675 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $299 | $6,000 | $35,655 | $2,376 | +$32,980 | 2.5% | +$1,736 | 1,049 high |
| 6 | Expected +$1,196 per submission: 24.3% of 432 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($5,500), and a PSA 9 ($222) still clears the $697 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $23 | $222 | $5,500 | $674 | +$4,803 | 24.3% | +$1,196 | 432 high |
| 7 | Expected +$1,147 per submission: 1.5% of 1,297 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($16,388), and a PSA 9 ($4,200) still clears the $1,872 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $689 | $4,200 | $16,388 | $1,183 | +$14,516 | 1.5% | +$1,147 | 1,297 high |
| 8 | Expected +$980 per submission: 16% of 3,015 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($6,015), and a PSA 9 ($850) still clears the $866 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $187 | $850 | $6,015 | $679 | +$5,149 | 16% | +$980 | 3,015 high |
| 9 | Expected +$897 per submission: 6.3% of 756 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($12,500), and a PSA 9 ($859) still clears the $1,179 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $35 | $859 | $12,500 | $1,144 | +$11,321 | 6.3% | +$897 | 756 high |
| 10 | Expected +$553 per submission: 1.5% of 891 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($8,500), and a PSA 9 ($1,225) still clears the $947 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $243 | $1,225 | $8,500 | $704 | +$7,554 | 1.5% | +$553 | 891 high |
| 11 | Expected +$470 per submission: 32.6% of 2,296 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($1,969), and a PSA 9 ($340) still clears the $468 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $229 | $340 | $1,969 | $239 | +$1,502 | 32.6% | +$470 | 2,296 high |
| 12 | Expected +$370 per submission: 29.8% of 1,670 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($1,400), and a PSA 9 ($145) still clears the $144 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $30 | $145 | $1,400 | $114 | +$1,256 | 29.8% | +$370 | 1,670 high |
| 13 | Expected +$364 per submission: 2.9% of 1,305 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($5,700), and a PSA 9 ($1,250) still clears the $914 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $238 | $1,250 | $5,700 | $676 | +$4,786 | 2.9% | +$364 | 1,305 high |
| 14 | Expected +$346 per submission: 55.1% of 44,972 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($1,185), and only a PSA 10 covers the $522 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $410 | $462 | $1,185 | $112 | +$663 | 55.1% | +$346 | 44,972 high |
| 15 | Expected +$323 per submission: 26.4% of 1,992 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($1,693), and only a PSA 10 covers the $364 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $128 | $204 | $1,693 | $236 | +$1,330 | 26.4% | +$323 | 1,992 high |
| 16 | Expected +$311 per submission: 1% of 1,367 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($3,452), and a PSA 9 ($2,760) still clears the $704 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $300 | $2,760 | $3,452 | $404 | +$2,749 | 1% | +$311 | 1,367 high |
| 17 | Expected +$292 per submission: 13% of 638 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($2,200), and a PSA 9 ($350) still clears the $292 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $51 | $350 | $2,200 | $241 | +$1,908 | 13% | +$292 | 638 high |
| 18 | Expected +$216 per submission: 36.7% of 1,576 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($750), and a PSA 9 ($120) still clears the $123 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $36 | $120 | $750 | $87 | +$627 | 36.7% | +$216 | 1,576 high |
| 19 | Expected +$185 per submission: 0.1% of 11,630 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($180,000), and a PSA 9 ($4,000) still clears the $7,569 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $750 | $4,000 | $180,000 | $6,819 | +$172,431 | 0.1% | +$185 | 11,630 high |
| 20 | Expected +$177 per submission: 24.7% of 1,402 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($957), and only a PSA 10 covers the $100 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $10 | $80 | $957 | $90 | +$857 | 24.7% | +$177 | 1,402 high |
| 21 | Expected +$91 per submission: 0% of 224 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($5,040), and a PSA 9 ($3,120) still clears the $1,879 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $1,210 | $3,120 | $5,040 | $669 | +$3,161 | 0% | +$91 | 224 high |
| 22 | Expected +$56 per submission: 1.3% of 473 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($513), and a PSA 9 ($500) still clears the $136 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $51 | $500 | $513 | $85 | +$377 | 1.3% | +$56 | 473 high |
| 23 | Expected +$26 per submission: 49.3% of 2,260 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($218), and only a PSA 10 covers the $97 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $15 | $40 | $218 | $82 | +$120 | 49.3% | +$26 | 2,260 high |
| 24 | Expected +$10 per submission: 66.3% of 6,919 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($150), and only a PSA 10 covers the $109 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $28 | $65 | $150 | $81 | +$41 | 66.3% | +$10 | 6,919 high |
| 25 | Expected +$-0 per submission: 53.5% of 3,356 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($155), and only a PSA 10 covers the $101 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $19 | $40 | $155 | $82 | +$54 | 53.5% | +$0 | 3,356 high |
| 26 | Expected loss −$6 per submission: 50.4% of 5,052 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($180), and only a PSA 10 covers the $122 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $40 | $60 | $180 | $82 | +$58 | 50.4% | −$6 | 5,052 high |
| 27 | Expected loss −$8 per submission: 65.5% of 5,491 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($157), and only a PSA 10 covers the $126 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $44 | $45 | $157 | $82 | +$31 | 65.5% | −$8 | 5,491 high |
| 28 | Expected loss −$26 per submission: 48.2% of 2,391 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($109), and only a PSA 10 covers the $88 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $7 | $25 | $109 | $81 | +$21 | 48.2% | −$26 | 2,391 high |
Best case only — no gem-rate evidence 3
Fewer than 10 graded copies in the PSA and CGC population reports. They clear the grading cost if they gem — that is all the numbers support.
| # | Card | Raw | PSA 9 | PSA 10 | Cost | Best case | Gem rate | Expected | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | $102 | — | $2,940 | $398 | +$2,440 | — | — | none <10 | |
| 30 | $35 | — | $1,500 | $115 | +$1,350 | — | — | none <10 | |
| 31 | $300 | — | $1,581 | $235 | +$1,046 | — | — | none <10 |
Expected = every grade outcome weighted by its share of the card's graded population, minus the raw price and the grading cost (PSA tier fee for the graded value plus ~$20 round-trip shipping, fees as of 2026-09-26). Best case is the PSA 10 leg alone. Gem rates come from a self-selected population — collectors grade their cleanest copies — so read them as an upper bound. Raw is a blended market price, not a sale of your copy. Full method and filters on the grading index.
How to read the Lugia ranking
Every Lugia card listed here clears one bar: its PSA 10 price beats its raw price by more than the cost of grading it. 31 Lugia printings pass. 28 of them (90%) have a gem-rate sample of at least ten graded copies in the population reports, and 24 of those keep a positive expected value once every grade outcome is weighted by how often the card actually receives it.
The order is expected profit, not the PSA 10 best case, which rewards the widest raw-to-gem gap whether the card gems one time in two or one in fifty. Here the top row, the Lugia from Aquapolis, gems 4.3% of the time across 3,204 graded copies: +$8,074 is what a long run of submissions would average, $118,360 is what one lucky copy returns.
The median gem rate across the sampled Lugia cards is 16%. Roughly one submitted copy in 6 came back PSA 10, and most rows here still cover raw price plus fee at PSA 9, so the PSA 9 price does most of the work. Of the 28 ranked cards, 19 still cover raw price plus fee at PSA 9, 9 need a 10 to break even and 3 lose money on expectation. 28 rest on a hundred or more graded copies.
3 cards sit below the ranking with a best case only, fewer than ten graded copies. The largest best case among them is the Shining Lugia from SM Black Star Promos at +$2,440.
Before you submit a Lugia card
Grading pays on condition. The four things every grader scores — centering, corners, edges and surface — can be checked at home before paying a fee, and a copy that is visibly off-centre or has a whitened corner will not gem whatever the population says. Those gem rates come from a self-selected population of clean copies, so a random copy does worse.
The cost column assumes a PSA submission at the tier covering the card's PSA 10 value, fees as of 2026-09-26, and raw is CardTrack's blended near-mint price, not a sale of your copy: pay more, or hold a lighter copy, and the break-even moves against you. Test a card with your own numbers in the ROI calculator, see the printings that fail the bar on the Lugia card list, or see how gem-mint premiums run across the whole catalogue on the PSA premium index.